Christ is Risen!

...um, actually I don't have a lot more than that to say right now. But it seemed relevant, so I thought I'd post it. If you want to read more about the significance of this event, click here.

About Aron Wall

I am a postdoctoral researcher studying quantum gravity and black hole thermodynamics at the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton. Before that, I read Great Books at St. John's College (Santa Fe), got my physics Ph.D. from U Maryland, and did my first postdoc at UC Santa Barbara.

"Looming above all other issues is what physicist Paolo Di Lazzaro calls “the question of questions”: how the image was produced, regardless of its age. Every scientific attempt to replicate it in a lab has failed. Its precise hue is highly unusual, and the color’s penetration into the fabric is extremely thin, less than 0.7 micrometers (0.000028 inches), one-thirtieth the diameter of an individual fiber in a single 200-fiber linen thread."

aleksyl,
In my opinion, the late carbon dating of the Shroud, together with the lack of any mentions of this relic in early centuries, makes it seem very unlikely it was actually Jesus' burial cloth. The fact that we don't know how it was made, doesn't mean it was a miracle.

Andrew,
I'm pretty sure that the famous Italian Renaissance painter St. Raphael wasn't making a reference to England! I think Christ has the prior claim when it comes to cross-symbolism.

Someone who lives in a monarchy should know better than to say that the King of Kings has a political party, or is a voter. However, as best I can tell from a quick web search, St. Theresa May didn't actually say that. Rather, she gave the usual politican's boilerplate about how her faith is important to her when she makes hard decisions, and someone made an uncharitable "paraphrase" of her remarks.

Oh of course Aron! I was thinking more that perhaps the flag came from the painting but I'm sure there's little to no significance. Out of interest, as a scientist (although I know you're an American), do you think leaving the European Union is going to be a bad thing for British science? Our government isn't just leaving the EU they're taking whats being portrayed as a radical step of leaving the single market and leaving the customs union and a possible ~ 40 European agencies/organisations which Brexit doesn't necessary have to imply.

Obviously, EU integration has been gradual treaty-by-treaty so there's a lot of different possible arrangements. Countries like Norway, Iceland and Finland are single market members but not EU members. Turkey is a customs union member but not a single market member. Switzerland isn't a member of the EEA (pretty much the single market) or the customs union but it is a member of EFTA and the Schengen area accepting freedom of movement, which helps to uphold their science, both of which Theresa May rejects.

I think you may probably be familiar with the work of Frank Tipler, particularly his book "The Physics of Christianity." A.S. Haley has written several essays on it in his blog: The Anglican Curmudgeon" especially concerning DNA tests on the Shroud, which may be found here:

I see Easter as the linchpin of the "Paschal Mystery," that sequence of 1) a real death (crucifixion), 2) receiving a new life (resurrection), 3) a time to grieve the old and readjust to the new (the 50 days), 4) a time to let go of the old and let it bless you (the Ascension), and 5) receiving the new spirit to go with the new life (Pentecost).

It's an old Catholic sequence and one I find helpful - not just in the sense of physical death but in many more senses such as the death of a dream, death of some physical capability, loss of a job, retirement, etc. Every time I go through one of these transitions, the Pascal Mystery informs my journey.

Tim, I fully agree with your comment and it reminds me of a short book written by an Anglican priest: True Resurrection, H.A. Williams, June 1983. I read that book many times because I found the theology so insightful.

Mr Haley is confused about what a miracle is. To attempt to explain a miracle scientifically is to say that it was NOT a miracle. Miracle are inexplicable by definition.
He writes in a comment:

" According to the genetic tests described in the article above, the two blood samples -- from two different cloths, with separate histories dating back to the first century -- are not only of the same male, but they are the signature of a unique XX-male who did not fit the usual human XX-syndrome. Such a result is only scientifically explainable as the result of an extremely rare and unlikely sequence of changes in one of Mary's egg cells: " ... a number of rare events would have to occur in close succession, and the chances of these all happening in real life are virtually zero."

Christ died for my sins and yours. We have option to celebrate his rise up as our sins are forgive. The resurrection of Jesus Christ has great impact to our souls as Christians and we should all embrace it.

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